‘Calling Hardik, Alpesh, Jignesh ‘HAJ’ is divisive politics’

December 4, 2017, 12:14 PM IST

Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Former Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Monday slammed the BJP for terming PAAS leader Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakore and SC/ST leader Jignesh Mevani as “HAJ” and accused it of playing the “communal card and divisive politics”.

“Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani are sons of the soil of Gujarat. To call them HAJ is playing the communal card and divisive politics,” Chidambaram said in a tweet.

“Patel, Thakore and Mevani are articulating the demands of Gujarati youth for jobs and development. Their campaign should not be trivialised,” he said.

Chidambaram’s remarks came after a poster was released on the social media showing upcoming Gujarat elections as a face-off between “HAJ” and “RAM”, which stands for (Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay) Rupani, BJP chief Amit (Shah) and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi.

Both the terms are acronyms coined by the political parties.

Patel, Thakore and Mevani have joined hands with the Congress to uproot the Bharatiya Janata Party from the state which has been ruling there for the last 22 years.

The two-phase assembly elections for the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly are due on December 9 and December 14. The counting of votes will take place on December 18.